Tam Dao is one of the resorts loved by the French in the past. Currently, Tam Dao possesses mountainous landscapes and many new European-style buildings, making it a suitable backpacking destination for tourists who want to stay away from the city on the weekend.
Which season is best to go to Tam Dao?
The climate in Tam Dao is similar to that in Sapa, the weather is mild all year round. The average temperature is only about 18 - 25 degrees Celsius. Not only that, coming here you also have the opportunity to experience the weather of 4 seasons in the same special day. Early in the morning, it's chilly with gentle sunshine, and by noon it's a bit hotter, forcing you to take off your outer layer. The afternoon is as cool as the autumn sky and the night is chilly, making everyone feel like they want to get closer together.
Coming to Tam Dao in spring, you have the opportunity to see many types of blooming flowers. Summer is crowded on weekends when people come to temporarily escape the heat when the temperature is always about 4-5 degrees Celsius lower than Hanoi, the highest is usually 27-28 degrees Celsius.
If you want to hunt clouds in Tam Dao, November to January is a reasonable time. This is winter, the low temperature turns the town covered in mist, making it beautiful, romantic and quiet. You should monitor the weather forecast. According to local people's advice, clouds will appear when the sun shines after a rainy day.
How to get to Tam Dao?
By private car: From Hanoi, you move to Thang Long Bridge in the direction North of Thang Long Noi Bai (the way to Noi Bai airport), go about 25km to the intersection of National Highway 2, AH 14 Road and Ho Chi Minh City Road. North of Thang Long Noi Bai, from there turn left to National Highway 2 about 500m, turn next to Hanoi - Lao Cai Highway about 25 km more, to the roundabout turn point in Tam Duong commune, Vinh Phu, you will have to Follow Highway 2B for about 20km to the center of Tam Dao tourist area.
By motorbike: follow the same route by private car, however the road to Tam Dao from the foot of the mountain to the top is about 13km of small road, with many sharp Z-shaped turns and steep slopes so you need to Be very careful, don't ride a scooter.
By bus: you go to My Dinh bus station, take the bus Hanoi - Viet Tri, Hanoi - Yen Bai, Hanoi - Vinh Yen, ticket price is about 2 USD, the bus goes to Vinh Yen city, then you Take a taxi or motorbike taxi to get to Tam Dao (about 20km further).
By train: In Hanoi, you can take the Hanoi - Lao Cai trip at Hanoi station or Gia Lam station, get off at Vinh Yen station, ticket price from Hanoi - Vinh Yen station is about 1.5 USD, then There you can also catch a motorbike taxi or taxi to Tam Dao.
By bus: Take bus number 58 (Hanoi bus at Long Bien transfer point) or 07 (Hanoi bus at Cau Giay transfer point) to Me Linh plaza, then take bus number 01 (Vinh Phuc bus) When you arrive at Vinh Yen bus station, change to bus route 07 of Vinh Phuc to Tay Thien. When you get up, ask the driver to point you to the nearest drop-off point to Tam Dao, then get off and catch a motorbike taxi going up.
The most convenient and fastest way to go from Hanoi to Tam Dao for those who do not have their own car is probably to take the NEWWAY bus, with 2 starting points: 32 Nguyen Cong Tru, Hai Ba Trung or 122 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay. The bus departs at 6:30 a.m. and returns at 3-4 p.m. Book tickets by phone number 043.565.4898, 043.976.3999, 043.565.1997, ticket price is about 7 USD. The car will drop off passengers at Tam Dao tourist area market, and also pick up passengers there, very quickly and conveniently.
Where to go when coming to Tam Dao?
Tam Dao National Park
Tam Dao National Park has an area of 36,883 hectares, characterized by evergreen forest all year round. This place is covered with a rich flora, many rare plants and animals belonging to 4 main classes: mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. This location attracts not only tourists but also businessmen and researchers. Among the diverse life forms in the park are some rare species such as the black-cheeked monkey, Tam Dao snakehead fish and silver wood pheasant.
Tam Dao stone church
French architecture is a characteristic feature of Tam Dao. Although the ancient French architectural works have mostly collapsed, this ancient stone church still retains its original structure through many stormy seasons. Construction of the ancient church began in 1906 in its original form as a thatched-roof house. Until 1937, Gothic architecture was applied to this work and gradually it was transformed into one of the four famous stone churches of Vietnam.
The ancient church in Tam Dao can be considered a stone masterpiece. The top of the church is even like a lighthouse that helps people find the right path to take. The most interesting thing is that there are large stone windows surrounding the outside space. It is a wonderful place where visitors can sit and admire the panoramic view of the valley.
Silver waterfall
The waterfall is considered the most beautiful here. Coming to this famous Tam Dao tourist destination, you can touch the cool water and feel the cool, peaceful air. The path down to the waterfall is quite long, leading you deep into the valley through stone steps. Sometimes, you may meet a squirrel or a cute little animal, like you are on your way back to mother nature.
Tam Dao Heaven Gate
Heaven's Gate is also another place not to be missed when coming to Tam Dao. At this coordinate, you can take in your eyes a beautiful sea of clouds stretching out before your eyes, shadowing the mountains looming in the distance. The way up gives the feeling of being lost in a fairyland, on both sides are cliffs and valleys. Surrounded by clouds and mist intertwining, creating magical colors.
Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple
Nestled amidst a bamboo forest just outside the center of Tam Dao is a complex of religious structures, home to Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple and the Golden Pagoda. Among them, Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple is an impressive 4-storey architectural work with exquisitely carved corridors and roofs. Right next to it is a spacious courtyard decorated with more than a dozen Buddha statues and a white stone staircase leading up to the main altars.
Cau May Studio
Besides places like Tam Dao Stone Church or Heaven's Gate that have long been frequented by Instagram followers, another name that is also widely spread is Cau May Studio. An outdoor photography studio 2km from the town center. This place has a series of wooden bridges supported by steel beams that weave around the mountainside, creating many backgrounds for surreal photos.
The bridges are built over vast fields of Mexican sunflowers, so visit in October or November when the flowers are in bloom, for the best views. You can also find here many decorative structures to satisfy your imagination, such as stairs leading straight to the sky. Choose a low angle to make it look like you're walking straight toward heaven.
Truc Lam Tay Thien
It is one of the three largest Zen monasteries in Vietnam and was built right next to the scenic Tay Thien Co Tu relic site, creating a famous spiritual tourism complex. Unique and massive architectural work on a large scale, covering many different areas. The yard and floor of Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery are paved with Chinese bricks, not only that, all the columns inside this Zen monastery are made of solid round wood.
Where to Stay When Coming to Tam Dao?
Homestay
Dream House
Unlike many places, Tam Dao homestays often do not have a clear location because they are located on the mountainside or hidden deep inside the dense forest. Dream House is also one of them. This homestay has a small area and is located on a quite high mountainside. Therefore, besides being an ideal resting place in Tam Dao, Dream House is also a favorite place for cloud hunting.
Address: Village 2, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
Opening hours: 24/7
Reservation phone number: 0944 551 550
Reference price: 39 USD - 87 USD/night
Le Bleu Floating Cloud Tam Dao
Designed with a simple yet sophisticated space, this Tam Dao homestay is also the ultimate cloud hunting view. Located right on a high hill, Le Bleu Floating Cloud has a view of the romantic scene in front, as if you just need to raise your hand to touch the clouds.
Address: Tam Dao town, Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province
Opening hours: 24/7
Reservation phone number: 0982 479 999
Reference price: 70 USD - 158 USD/night
Bach Xanh House
Possessing a system of 12 rooms designed in an A-shaped style, Bach Xanh House is a popular destination for couples or groups of close friends. Most of the rooms here are equipped with glass doors, making it easy for you to see the romantic, peaceful beauty from outside. There is also a private swimming pool and beautiful flower gardens interspersed between the rooms.
Address: Residential group 2, Tam Dao town, Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province.
Opening hours: 24/7
Reservation phone number: 0945 614 463
Reference price: 102 USD - 205 VND/night
Hotel
Belvedere Resort
This is a 4-star resort, priced from 70 USD - 255 USD depending on the room, with swimming pool and tennis court. Belvedere Resort includes many luxury villas, with private balconies overlooking panoramic Tam Dao mountains and forests. However, it is quite far from the center of Tam Dao town, about 2 km, which is not very convenient.
Phone number 02103.824.149.
Tam Dao Star Hotel
Weekday prices are about 11 USD - 14 USD/room, weekend prices can be up to 25 USD - 32 USD/room.
Phone number 0210.3824.246, this hotel is right next to the old stone church.
Ha Long 2-star hotel
Weekday prices are about 20 USD - 30 USD/room, weekend prices are about 25 USD - 40 USD/room.
Phone number 0210.3824.206.
What to Eat When Coming to Tam Dao?
The most famous specialty in Tam Dao is chayote tops. This vegetable is grown throughout the town so it is always fresh when prepared. Almost every restaurant in Tam Dao has a chayote sign to greet customers. The tops of chayote are lush, long stems, and young green leaves. When you buy it, break it up, stir-fry it with beef or just garlic, best dipping it with dark soy sauce, and add a few slices of chili.
If you choose BBQ grill when dining at Tam Dao, you will still be served chayote meat rolls. The meat is fragrantly marinated, rolled with crunchy chayote, and is delicious to eat. You can buy chayote tops to bring home as gifts, priced at 2 USD/4 bundles.
In addition to chayote tops, you can refer to a number of dishes such as burned refried beef, grilled chicken covered in clay, pork belly, black sticky rice... Burned refried beef is prepared in a strange way: hanging medium sized pieces of beef. Cut the meat on the tree trunk, right in front of the ant nest so that the ants can gather and burn it, then wash it with diluted salt water and grill it over a charcoal fire. Each type of ant brings a different flavor to a piece of beef. Therefore, every time you enjoy it, you will feel strange about this interesting dish. Dipping sauce made from corn sauce, bean sauce, minced ginger and sugar. When eating, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and sandwich it with green bananas and coriander. This dish is available in specialty restaurants, priced at about 13 USD/kg.
Enjoy the beautiful space with a cup of coffee
Located opposite the Stone Church and next to the town center square, Rock Cafe has become a meeting point for tourists who love European architectural style and cuisine. The restaurant impresses with its cozy space in every corner. Dishes such as BBQ ribs, pasta, pizza and drinks cost from 1.5 USD - 11 USD.
Quan Gio is a coffee shop with a unique view of the entire town from above, enjoying the cool breeze and taking unique photos. The drink menu here is quite diverse from cappuccino, latte, espresso, silver tea to tea, smoothies, soft drinks, juices... priced from 1.5 USD/1 cup.
Co La Coffee Shop is a place for you to drink coffee and relax in the sea of floating clouds. Tourists often come here at sunset, watch the sun set, relax with friends and relatives in the sound of peaceful music. The shop has many beautiful corners to check-in like the wooden sign with the line "From Tam Dao with love".
Things to note when coming to Tam Dao
Attire: Bring warm clothes (winter), sunscreen (summer).
Transportation: Be careful when driving, travel in groups if riding a motorbike.
Accommodation: Book in advance, especially during peak season.
Environment: Maintain general hygiene.
Culture: Respect local culture.